Smyrna times., 1887-04-06
OLD TIME SUGAR RAISING.

How it Was Conducted on the Bore
Plantation Nearly Seventy Years Ago.
This plantation was sagaciously and
tastefully laid out for beauty and pro-
ductiveness. The gardens occupied
large area, and at once astOnished the
eye by the magnificence Of their shady
avenues of orange trees. UnbrOken re-
treats of myrtle and laurel defied the
rays of the sun. Flowers of every de
scriptiOn perfumed the air Extensive
orchards produced every fruit of which
the climate was susceptible. By judiciOus
culture there had been obtained remark
able success in producing, an abundance
of juicy grapes every bunch of which,
however, when they began to ripen, was
enveloped in a sack of wire to protect
them against the depredatiOns of birds.
The fields were cultivated with such a
careful observance of the variable exi-
gencies of every successive season that
there was no such thing known as a
short or half crop, or no crop at all.
This was reserved for much later DAYS.
But under the administration of Etienne
de Bore, during a period of twenty-five
years, from the first ebulitiOn of a sugar
kettle in 1895 to the time of his death in
1920, every crop was regularly the same
within a few hOgsheads. When, how
ever, he ceased to exist this seat of order
and prosperity became a chaos of dis
order and ruin, and the estate finally
passed away from the family into the
hands of strangers.
1t was a self-sufficient little domain,
exporting good deal, and importing but
meagerly, so that the balance was very
much in its favor. 1t was largely sup
piled with sheep and their wool, with
geese, ducks, turkeys. guinea fowls and
every variety of poultry without stint.
Eggs were gathered by the bushel. Pig
cons clOuded the sun, and when the small
black cherries (call merises in French)
were ripe, those feathered epicures ate
them voraciously, got royalty drunk and
falling from the trees strewed the ground
beneath. A numerous herd of cattle.
under the inspection of old Pompey, and
a black yOungster called SOuris lin
English mOuse), on account of his di-
mlnutlve figure, pastured luxuriOusly
and grew fat, What a quantity of
fresh butter, rich cheese, milk. cream
and claOber! Vast barns gorged with
corn, rice and hay; hives bursting with
honey; vegetables without measure. and
so luscious; a varied and liberal supply of
carriages always ready for use. and horses
for the saddle or for driving, all glossy
and sleek; spirited mules, well fed and
well curried-the pride of the field hands;
shrlmps and fish from the river; multi
tudes of crawtish from the deep bitches;
raccoons and oppOssums to gladden. the
heart Of the most surly negro. Bore had
made of his estate both a farm and a
plantation. Every day before dawn
carloads departed for New Orleans with
diversified produce, most Of which was
handed over when it reached its destina-
ton to two old women, Agathe and
Marie, who We're the occupants and guard
lans Of the town house of Bore. They
admirably understood the art of selling.
and were well known to the whole popu-
latlon, whose confidence they possessed.
1fong to market with baskets full.
they generally brought them back
empty. Josephine, a handsome, strong
hnbed and light footed mulatto.
with another female assistant of a
darker color, sold the mill, and
butter with wonderful rapidity, and both
were back at the plantation at 1890
a. m, with the mail, the daily papers
and whatever else they had to bring. It
was clOckwOrk in everything on that
plantation of the old regime. Hence the
farm produced at least SO, 600 per annum.
besides supplying all the wants of those
who resided on it, black or white, and
the product Of the plantation was almost
all profit.
The discipline established on it was a
sort OF military one. At dawn. when it
was time to go to the field and to the
other labors of the day, the big bell rang.
The whole gang of negroes came to the
house, in front of which they all kneeled.
and short prayer was said. always IN
the presence of a male member of the
family, who stood up with head uncov- !
cred. The same ceremony was per
formed IN the evening before thev went
10 their supper and their rest for the |
night. wildly remember how I felt
wnen' being about s years old. was for
the first time called upon to preside over
the prayers Of the dark assemblage.- - /
Charles Gayarre in Harper's Magazine.